


Escape..?

by Cheeky_The_Monkey



Series: Whumptober 2020 [5]
Category: The Stanley Parable
Genre: Escape Pod, Escape Pod Ending, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:15:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26845009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheeky_The_Monkey/pseuds/Cheeky_The_Monkey
Summary: When Stanley suddenly gains control of his own body, the first thing on his mind is escape. How convenient that he just so happens to stumble across an escape pod.Written for Whumptober 2020! Day 5 Prompt: Failed Escape.
Relationships: The Narrator & Stanley (The Stanley Parable)
Series: Whumptober 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1951183
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Escape..?

**_END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE-_ **

Stanley was back in his office. He used to feel frustrated when he reappeared back in that once comforting space- especially after those brief glimpses of the outside world, of _freedom._

But Stanley had come to learn that whatever outdoors he was shown wasn’t freedom. How could it be, if he wasn’t even in control of his own body?

“Stanley was happy” The Narrator would say, as if he actually believed the words he was reading off the script. And wasn’t that an unnerving thought- his life, his _torture_ was on a piece of paper somewhere, used for other people’s sick entertainment.

Stanley wondered if The Narrator counted as a person. He also wondered, if he did, what he looked like. If it even was a ‘he’. Stanley wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t some interdimensional being simply carrying the guise of a grumpy Englishman. 

All of his theories aside though, Stanley didn’t like The Narrator.

And it was while he was lost in that thought that Stanley realised he was lost in thought. He hadn’t been instinctively pulled to walk out of the door by some higher power like he usually was, and he didn’t feel compelled to stay in his office either.

For the first time he could remember, Stanley felt like he was in control. He felt _free._

Well, free as anyone trapped in a never-ending loop of psychological torment could be.

Almost immediately, Stanley began to try and come up with ideas of how he could use his impromptu freedom to his advantage. He could obey The Narrator and see if he could stay outside for once? No, that wouldn’t work. Stanley didn’t want to give himself that kind of hope.

He could always just stay in Room 427 for as long as he possibly could? 

No, that wouldn’t be very productive, Stanley thought. So Stanley thought some more. In the end, there was only one thing left on his mind:

_Escape._

Maybe, just maybe, he could somehow get rid of The Narrator. Or at least lose him somehow. Because without The Narrator watching over him, Stanley actually had a chance of breaking out of his personal prison because he was almost certain that it was The Narrator keeping him there in the first place. He was the one doing most of the restarts, right?

Stanley stepped out of his room.

He felt a twinge of panic when The Narrator ‘greeted’ him in his usual way (enquiring about the whereabouts of his coworkers) but he was soon reassured by the fact that he was still able to _feel_ panic. He could still feel, he could still think. He was still in control.

Stanley decided to listen to The Narrator. He wasn’t quite sure why, because he wasn’t acting any different. Same old lines, same old comments. He’d heard everything a thousand times already.

But it was nice for him to be the one listening this time. Not whoever or whatever normally took hold of him.

It was when he was about to enter his Boss’s Office that he remembered that he was supposed to be trying to escape. So, instinctively, he swung his body backwards and forwards on the doorframe while he tried to plan. This may literally be a once in a lifetime opportunity, after all.

On his eighth swing backwards, the door shut behind him.

Stanley jumped. He was used to doors shutting behind him as he progressed forwards, but never from in front of him. In a room that he was required to enter, no less.

He held his breath, waiting for The Narrator to comment on it and/or shout at him for breaking his ‘game’.

He was met with silence.

After waiting for what seemed like an hour in that same position, there was no doubt left in Stanley’s mind. There was no Narrator.

On a whim, he began to tiptoe back towards the stairs.

Just as he was about to descend, he heard a muffled voice coming from his Boss’s Office.

_“Stanley? Stanley, where did you go? Stan-”_

That was all the proof he needed. Stanley broke into a run.

He sprinted down the stairs and back through the corridors (all the doors were open for some reason) until he reached the safety of his own office. He was about to enter his room so he could plot his next move when he noticed something extremely odd.

Door 248 was open.

Stanley didn’t even remember that there was a room there, let alone that the door could open. And though his weak self-preservation instincts were warning him about entering the dark corridor within, he also knew that this new option could be his only ever chance of escape.

So, with one last look at the dull yellow and beige of the office, Stanley walked through the door.

Inside, he could just make out a long, winding staircase leading upwards. He could also make out a dimly lit sign, stating that there was an escape pod on floor 760.

Stanley didn’t waste another second. Not caring in the slightest about the number of steps he had to climb, he bolted up the stairs with a bubbling feeling inside of him. Hope.

Floor 760 seemed to arrive very quickly. 

To hell with patience and ‘savouring the moment’, Stanley didn’t care. Stanley didn’t want to care. He sprinted forwards, through a door, into a pitch black room. But Stanley wasn’t scared. How could he be, when the escape he’d been begging for was finally in his reach? As he proceeded through the darkness, he finally managed to make out something in the distance. Upon closer inspection, it was a small pod with red and white stripes, open as if inviting him inside. As if it had been waiting for him to arrive, all this time. An escape pod, just for him.

_Escape._ Stanley didn’t know a sweeter word. No more Narrators, no more restarts, no more office, no more Line™️… actual, beautiful freedom. A proper life. A proper wife. Human interaction. With all of these thoughts swimming through his mind, Stanley pressed the button, ready to leave this cursed place once and for all.

_Oh, Stanley._

If only he hadn’t been in such a rush to escape, he would have noticed the very clear sign, stating that both The Narrator and the Player must be present in order for the escape pod to work.

Well, since I’m here and you’re here with me, I suppose Stanley’s on his own in there. Pity. He was so excited about the prospect of escape, too.

You and I both know that Stanley can’t escape. The only way I can think of is if he were to be deleted from the game’s files. But then we wouldn’t have a game left, and Stanley would just be erased. Unless you count being erased from history as a form of escape, of course.

But the sad truth is that he’ll forever be stuck here. With me. With you, whenever you decide to play. There will never be an end for Stanley. There never was an escape, despite what this pod thing wants you to believe.

...But you already knew that, didn’t you?

We both know how this will end.

**_THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER-_ **

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment :)


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